GOT MY OWN ROW!

What I am about to post is a veritable anomaly in this day and age, but it DID happen to me on my recent connecting flight from Miami - I GOT MY OWN ROW! I will be updating more about my fantastic trip to Puerto Rico, but I just HAD to jump on here and write that, because I was flabbergasted.

I had a window seat, so I know that (typically) just because no one is in the row when I get there; they will be coming. I tucked myself away into my corner and began reading. As I read, I looked up from time to time at the front of the plane. There was a fairly steady stream of passengers that were still milling about and trickling in, so I just continued reading because I knew my luck wouldn't be THAT good; I expected and waited for at least another passenger to join me in my row.

Well, lo and behold, the flight attendants began their spiel and the cabin doors were locked, and guess what? I was in flying heaven! Now, it's not as good as First or Business class, but it is something wonderful. I can say that I haven't had a whole row to myself in well over ten years of traveling. Prior to 9/11, I would fly home from college or fly across the country on  a red-eye flight, and I can say that 50% of the time I could have a row to myself, or just shared with one other person; however, in this day and age, that is a rarity, even on a red-eye flight!

So, stay tuned for my post about my fabulous trip to San Juan and Rincon, Puerto Rico!

www.chicksthattrip.com

Freedom of a Passport

On one of the money blogs I follow, the blogger discussed the freedom that money offers an individual; so it got me thinking about the freedom of having  a (current) passport.

Money notwithstanding, when it comes to providing freedom, a passport offers a plethora of options. By having this funny little booklet with blank pages - you can travel the world! I think that's pretty cool.

I obtained my first passport when I was about twelve years old. I was supposed to go to Germany...but, that is a long story, so I won't digress; however, I will say that the whole process of obtaining (my horrible photo), and submitting the application made me feel so incredibly grown up. I think it's a special experience, and without even knowing exactly why, I knew that a whole other world had been opened up to me, and I wasn't wrong.

Traveling to far flung places in order to have my passport stamped is not why I go there, but it is an added bonus. It's a conversation starter, and it's something that you can add to your own "bucket list" of accomplishments. When I meet people and they ask me what I do, and I tell them that I am a travel professional with my own agency; it's amazing to me how many of them will say some of the following, "Wow, that's cool. Is it a good business? Do you get to travel all over the world? I would love to travel the world, but I don't even have a passport." I hear that phrase more than I care to think about. And of course, being in this business, my personal favorite is the individual(s) who want to go on a trip (next week or month) to an international destination, yet, they have no passport. Those are always interesting conversations, especially when you let them know how much a. a passport cost, and b. how much it will cost to be expedited. More often than not, their plans change and they travel a bit closer to home (read: within the United States).

I was fortunate growing up, in that, my parents liked to travel (primarily throughout the United States), and it provided me a chance to see a lot of diverse places while I was young; thus, increasing my thirst for travel as I got older. I guess you could say, I saw all the U.S. had to offer at a young age, so I had to branch out and travel the world! I am glad that I was provided the opportunity to obtain a passport while I was young, because to me, it's as essential as having a drivers' license.

If you don't have a passport, go apply for your own freedom.

*photo by digitalart and provided by freedigitalphotos.net

www.chicksthattrip.com

Site Launch: Chasing Women Chefs

The next best thing to eating great food is talking about it! So, it is with much excitement that I am sharing with you the launch of my new site: Chasing Women Chefs.

I have created a concept that marries my love for food and travel, while shining the spotlight on women in the culinary industry. Every month in the blog section of Chasing Women Chefs,
 there will be a featured interview on a woman chef or other woman in the culinary world (bartender, restaurant owner, etc), as well as information on new or most utilized cooking tools in the marketplace, Q&A, and so much more!

Check out the "Events" section, and for those who may be interested in participating in the sponsorship opportunities, there is a "Sponsors" page too!

www.chicksthattrip.com

Holiday Party Venue Ideas!

It's that time of year where there are parties galore! Most employers throw some type of party - whether it's a full scale, blowout event, or a low key potluck, you can be assured there will be a holiday party at your place of employment.

Unfortunately, it also means that (awful) game of "White Elephant," where you get handed off stuff that's been lying around in someones closet for several years. Can you tell that's not my cup'o'tea??? Suffice to say, regardless of the budget, there are great venues where an employer, family or any other group can hold an awesome event:

• Restaurants -  Not the most inventive idea, but most restaurants can set-up a great spread and keep the food and drinks coming.
• The Zoo - In Arizona, they hold a lot of specialty events at their zoo. The lights are fantastic and you can have it catered by whomever you so chose. While this idea doesn't work for the colder climates, unless you want to be covered in snow, it's a delightful idea for those areas of the country where it's feasible to hold an event at the zoo.
• Rooftop Decks - Many hotels and restaurants have large rooftop decks that can accommodate groups for dinners and special events. Regardless if it's cold or not, there are tents and heating equipment that can be utilized to keep the guest warm and cozy while they party away.
• Street Parties - This may not work for an office/employer event, but it definitely could be something that a neighborhood could kick-off in order to get everyone involved. Street parties are great, because they aren't held at any specific house, so you are able to drift about and get to know the people in your neighborhood. It could be a themed event where each house prepares a different dish, and you  go from house to house trying out the different foods. Plus, I like the fact that there is minimal clean up!
• Convention Centers - While most companies would likely not hold an event at a convention center, if you have a large enough company, say, like a Microsoft, it's highly probable they could fill a convention center and really turn it into a fantastic affair with wonderful decorations, exotic food, games and more! This wouldn't be a low-key event, and would definitely be a pricey endeavor, but hey, aren't you (as an employee) worth it?
• Destination Party - What employee wouldn't want to get a package delivered to their desk saying they are invited to an all-expense paid trip to: Las Vegas, Hawaii, New York, New Orleans, etc, in order to celebrate the companies holiday party - on the boss! Destination parties may not be common practice, but there are some (smaller) organizations that can absorb the costs and feel it's a way to bond with their employees, as well as a little respite away from the day-to-day grind. 

*photo taken by Keattikorn, and used from freedigitalphotos.net

www.chicksthattrip.com

Relax and Float

Relax and Float

I am returning from a relaxing and laid back trip I took to the Southern California region, and I must admit it's been a nice respite to be able to chill out for a few days with my friends and do...nothing. I would be misrepresenting myself if I said I did absolutely nothing, but I can tell you that I did as little as possible.

Relaxation will take on a different look for each person, but it is critical to take that step back in order to maintain some semblance of sanity. I have spoken to a couple of my friends who are completely burned out, and their companies are even advising that they will lose their vacation days if they don't utilize them by the end of the year! This does not perplex me at all, because I worked in many environments and companies where tremendous lip service was given to respecting "work life balance," but to that point, it was just lip service. If anybody took any days off, when they returned they were overwhelmed by the work they had before they left, and additional work that was added to their plate while they were away. That doesn't make an employee feel good about leaving, when they know they will be penalized upon their return, by being inundated by work that was added while they were away.

R&R is an important time for us to be able to clear our minds, and refresh our bodies and spirits. While traveling is by no means the only way to get this much needed down time, it is one of the most beneficial to our psyche. When left to our own devices, we can say we are going to relax while we are at home; yet, the reality is that few of us do. Many people take that opportunity to repaint their homes; redo the siding on their homes, and other tasks that, while important, I wouldn't categorize as "relaxation."

Even though I didn't go away somewhere exotic (no offense to Southern California) and unknown to me; it was the much needed away time I needed to refresh my mind, in order to finish out this year on track to kick into gear for 2013! The removal of my day-to-day activities allowed me the opportunity to sit back and brainstorm some ideas for my business endeavors for next year. Also, being around my friends, I was able to bounce ideas off of people who really "get me" and are supportive in my efforts. 

Hopefully your company isn't mandating you to take days off, because I hope you have been refreshing your spirit throughout the year, but if you haven't been able to do that, and your company is threatening to take your time away, please do something good to and for yourself and - Relax & Float.

*Photo taken by Stuart Miles and obtained from freedigitalphotos.net

www.chicksthattrip.com

BEER, BEER, EVERYWHERE!

Anybody who reads this blog probably knows my passion and love for FOOTBALL! Well, what goes better with football than beer? Maybe some hot wings, but I think beer will always be number one.

This weekend marks 31st year of the annual Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado. They have already sold out of their tickets, so needless to say, there will be a lot of beer flowing.

The Great American Beer Festival is the perfect showcase for the newer micro breweries that are coming in to the marketplace. As one entrant acknowledged in an interview, just by sheer virtue of being a part of this event is a wonderful opportunity to showcase his IPA.

It looks like Bavaria, Germany's 16 day festival, Oktoberfest, has some real competition here in the United States.

Bottoms up!

*photo used from freedigitalphotos.net and taken by Renjith Krishnan

www.chicksthattrip.com

Awesome Customer Service: Panera Bread

Awesome Customer Service: Panera Bread

Keeping in the same vain of my prior post about "making things right" when they go awry, I'd like to send an internet shout out to Panera Bread. I am not one to sign up for a lot of programs, because I prefer not to add to the high volume of my inbox, and furthermore, I rarely even remember to have the cards available when I frequent an establishment, so it just turns into a colossal waste of time, for them and for me. But, I've recently made an exception for Panera Bread.

I must admit that I have sipped and basked in the kool-aid of Starbucks. I tend to make them my "go to" place to post up and work on my computer, but now, they have gotten a run for their money, because I've been frequenting Panera Bread more often. Don't get me wrong, there are two Starbuck locations I frequent on a regular basis, and the team is just kickbutt! However, it's not the cleanest, they are ALWAYS busy, and the coffee, well, it's fine (since I'm not a coffee connoisseur), but it isn't wonderful.

A few months ago, in the early summer, I had a couple of meetings at various Panera Bread locations. I found that I loved the following about all of the establishments I frequented: the employees seem to actually LIKE their job, (for the most part) they were clean and easy to move around in, the coffee had times on when they were last brewed (which appeared to be pretty frequently), the food I've had has always been great, and it's just a nice place to be.

Well, I had forgotten about those experiences during the summer, and Panera Bread simply drifted back into the recesses of my mind, until recently. I was digging around in the little pockets of my checkbook, and I found the "MyPanera" reward card tucked in there; never having been activated or used. Now mind you, I still didn't activate it, but it was on my mind. Fast forward a few days later, and I read a fabulous story called, "It's more important to be kind than clever!" (http://blogs.hbr.org/taylor/2012/08/its_more_important_to_be_kind.html). I don't know WHAT it is, but I've been reading some great "feel good" stories lately, and this one was added to that list.

So, I decided to venture to a Panera Bread store that is close to my house. I went in, ordered a bagel with cream cheese, and a coffee. Well, the young lady helping me was quick, nice, funny and gracious. As I was standing there, another lady, a bit older, came behind the counter and began offering some breakfast items for free. She indicated that they were going to be "tossed" so they were giving them away. I politely declined, since I'd already placed an order, to which she said I was more than welcome to take it with me. I did let her know that was nice, but that I didn't need to be a piggy, and someone else could benefit from the free offer, but I thanked her profusely for the generous offer.

That just ROCKS to me. It was the early afternoon, they didn't have to give anything away, yet, they were offering items that may go to waste, gratis, to their customers. I don't know about you, but I like that concept, and it makes me want to support their company more now than ever.

The whole experience brought to mind a quote I read some time ago, but I keep it on my desktop as a day-to-day reminder, "People may not remember exactly what you did or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel."  Tony Hsieh - Zappos CEO.

 When I am in Panera Bread, I feel good.

*Photo provided by freedigitalnet.com

www.chicksthattrip.com

When Problems Arise - Make it Right!

When Problems Arise - Make it Right!

I have worked in customer service types of organizations for my entire working career. Whether it has been: retail positions, insurance positions, managerial positions, or now, owning my own Travel Agency, I've ALWAYS worked for customer-centric organizations. With that being said, I am fully aware of both sides of the "customer is always right." 

Sometimes you simply can not give people what they want; however, if there is anything that is reasonably within your power to right a bad situation, then I think you should do it. People want to hear SOLUTIONS not, "NO." Plain and simple. Once you've offered solutions and options, then it is up to the individual to make the best decision for themselves, based off the offered solutions.

This brings me to a disturbing story that one of my travel colleagues has been working through now for well over a month. The short story, her clients were at an all-inclusive resort (I will not state the name; however, they are on my "do not sell list"). While the couple was there, they placed some cash in their hotel safe (this is already starting off bad. If you have cash -  keep it ON YOU). The next to last day before they were to depart, they left their room to enjoy their day, and upon their return, they found their safe open and their cash was gone.

Here is where things get ugly. They reported the theft to the hotel front desk, and then it was escalated to the MOD (manager on duty), and subsequently others were brought into the fray. The final solution: They did nothing. They failed to make the situation right.

I am not implying that the property should have necessarily reimbursed them their money, because it truly is a "word vs word" situation; however, every step the resort took, was to cover their own ...um, behinds; while leaving these people stranded, literally, with no money or other resources. And, to make matters worse, the couple felt as if they were the criminals. They were offered no compensation, and they were essentially left to fend for themselves (fortunately, they were offered assistance by a kind tour operator who took them to the police station to file a report). 

The resort failed in multiple ways:

• They failed to make the couple feel heard.
• The couple felt as if they were the guilty party.
• The resort offered no assistance in helping them get to the police station to file a report, nor did they conduct an in-house investigation of their staff (the couple felt that it was an inside job).
• The couple felt that the resort was trying to sweep the incident under the rug (the couple alleges that the manager directed them NOT to discuss the theft in the lobby area in front of the other guests).
• The couple placed a lengthy status on TripAdvisor about this property (and interestingly enough, there were others who reported theft of money, and other items from this property). The resort responded to the TripAdvisor report and, again, failed to "right" the situation. Their sole purpose was to show they did nothing wrong, and to save face.

This is just a snippet of what transpired, but where I believe the resort failed was their defensive responses. If they had listened, truly listened to the couple, and then made them feel heard and conducted their own internal investigation, as well as offering some sort of compensation (even if it was not the full amount of the stolen money), I believe that, while the couple wouldn't have been thrilled, they would not have been left with such a sour taste in their mouths. As it stands, this story has gone "viral" within the travel professional community, and many travel professionals have decided they will no longer sell, nor recommend this property, simply based on the mishandling of this couples situation. 

Theft from a property is nothing new, and it doesn't matter if it is a luxury property, or a 1-star budget hotel on the side of the highway; however, it is the way that situations are handled when something goes awry, that sets the stellar businesses ahead of their competition. Unfortunately, this resort failed in every step of the way.

*Photo used from freedigitalphotos.net

www.chicksthattrip.com

Fact or Fiction: Truthful Hotel Review Sites

Planning a vacation can be a fun, but challenging experience. Many of my clients come to me because they have researched their travels, but are stymied by the overwhelming amount of information that is readily accessible on the Internet. Once they have made a decision, oftentimes they will go to review sites like TripAdvisor, in order to obtain additional  information on their hotel selections, and get what they think are unbiased reviews. But are the reviews really so unbiased?

A report was done recently (I believe it was on NPR), where a lot of smaller more boutique type property owners were concerned and upset by the reviews their properties were receiving on such social review sites (and larger hotels are concerned too). Some of them (purportedly) accused their competition of placing derogatory reviews online in an effort to deter consumers from staying at their properties. They felt that many of the reviews were written by their competitors' employees, or even by the proprietors themselves. While they have no hard and fast evidence of this, they sited that quite often very few, if any of the reviews that they read were a true reflection of their property, and further, no one had ever made any of the allegations to them that they were reading online. Obviously, these property owners are upset and outraged by what they feel are unfair and inaccurate depictions of their properties, but what can they do now once it is out on the world wide web?

The statistics that have  been bandied about regarding these types of online review sites is that over 50% of travelers review these sites prior to making their final selections, and that if there are an overwhelming amount of negative reviews, they will not book that property. I tend not to frequent a lot of sites like this because there are so many disparate opinions on what each individual considers a "good" or "bad" property. What I've found in general, is that there are simply some people who can never be satisfied, and others, who are generally laid back and are much easier to please. Obviously there are circumstances where consumers receive sub par service, and they are right to lodge a complaint with the property. Also, there are varying individual opinions as to what is a: luxury, budget, or mid-level property; consequentially, if one person is staying at a property they deem as luxury, but in actuality it's more of a mid-level property, their expectations will be skewed by their own perception of what level of service they should experience.

In all fairness, there are some entry level expectations that all consumers have regarding a property. Cleanliness, no bugs, courteous customer service, and availability of their room upon check in, which are all reasonable expectations, but from there the lines can be blurred. I liken it to the comparison of cars. A person who purchases a 4-cylinder vehicle should not expect the same power as a German built, V-8 engine vehicle. It's not realistic, and as the saying goes, "You get what you pay for." I would not have the same expectations of a Holiday Inn Express that I would of a Four Seasons Property. That's just the reality of it.

As a blogger, when we review products and services for pay, we are required to advise on our site, or within the review that we have received some sort of compensation for that review. This will allow the consumer to be fully aware that the review could potentially be biased towards the product and/or service. I have not reviewed any products or services yet for any compensation, but I would like to think that I would provide a fair and accurate assessment if I did, because the consumer deserves to be told the truth - or at least the truth according to what I thought of that product or service at the time of my review.

Given the rise of information being stored for all eternity on the web, there are companies that are popping up to assist companies and individuals in protecting their online reputation. One such company is called reputation.com (formerly Reputation Defender). Do I think online review sites are inherently bad? No, because I review hotels, restaurants and the like too, but if there are no checks and balances to even attempt to ensure the information is valid, then the information could potentially be deemed as untrustworthy and unreliable.

*photo used courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and taken by jscreationzs

www.chicksthattrip.com

Restaurant Spotlight: Euclid Hall, Denver, CO

Euclid Hall Entrance and Upstairs Dining Area

What a fun and fantastic place! The aptly named, Euclid Hall, feels like a high-end hangout where college students would feel right at home; so it didn't go unnoticed to me that Euclid Hall is in one of the trendier areas of downtown Denver, but its entrance faces South on 14th street, which is the direction that most of the college campuses in that area are located.

A fairly short staircase invites you into the main floor of Euclid Hall's well utilized two stories. As you are coming up the steps you will see a giant chalkboard with varying information written on it, like the "glossary of terms," serving as a description of some of their fare, such as Schnitzel and Poutine.  Happy Hour drink prices are also listed on the chalk board under the name: Study Hall, as well as the name of a few of their beers. The kitchen is an open concept, so you can see the chefs preparing the food. There is a bar to your immediate right, and they have a lusty selection of beers available, so there will be no dry mouths at your table, should you decide to partake of a frosty mug of goodness.

I met a friend there who doesn't live in Denver. I told him that I had been wanting to try, yet another, of Jennifer Jasinski and Beth Gruitch's delectable restaurants (side note: they also own Rioja and Bistro Vendôme), so I recommended Euclid Hall. He checked out the link to the menu and gushed that he would, "have to try all the desserts on the menu!"

At first blush, for the non-adventurous sort, there may be an immediate thought that the food is a bit, well, interesting. Yes...yes, it is. But interesting in the best sense of the word, and not akin to when someone brings a jello mold filled with tidbits of 'goodness only knows what' floating about in it. I promise you that there is something for everyone. And even though the menu is fairly straightforward, and not excessively long, I was overwhelmed by choices. I changed my mind at least three times before the waiter came back to take our order!

Menu, Trumer Pils Beer, Fries with Bacon Ailoi and Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich - yummm!

I finally landed on the House-Made Kennebec Fries served with a Bacon Aioli dipping sauce.There were just enough crispy bacon bits to not overwhelm the dipping sauce, and the consistency of the sauce was smooth and thick enough to stand up to their perfectly executed french fries (I am a self professed french fry connoisseur), without being too thick. The flavor was slightly sweet, with a hint of smokiness brought on by the bacon.

The Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich was served on a toasted dill rye bread, with large pieces of relatively thin, sliced and battered chicken, which was comfortably tucked away on a bed of shredded, apple cabbage caraway slaw. The slaw was not dragged down by any typical gloppiness that some slaws can have. It was clean and crisp, with an immaculate blending of the flavors that only served to enhance the chicken flavor; especially since I thought the chicken batter could have used just a touch more salt; however, when I ate the rest of my sandwich the next day, the bread held up extremely well and wasn't soggy, and the chicken and slaw mixture marinated in such a way that it actually tasted better than the first day. Go figure!

My friend dug into his Brat Burger that was served on a "bretzel bun," which was essentially a pretzel bun. The top of the bun gleamed beautifully as if brushed with a hint of butter to make it glisten even more. The melted Jarlsberg cheese spilled out from the sides of the burger, as he ate it with great relish. Needless to say, he was extremely happy with his selection.

Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich

Finally, while I am not really a dessert person (although, most everyone I am associated with is), I did have a taste of my friends dessert. It was a difficult decision for him, but he finally landed on their Sourdough Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich. Yes, you read that correctly, a waffle ice cream sandwich! It was just enough; not too small, and not too big, but just right. It was served in a wrapped paper for presentation purposes, and then slid out onto the plate to dig into. The ice cream was a salted butterscotch ice cream with pralines. This had to be one of the funnest desserts I've ever tasted. The smooth and salty butterscotch ice cream with the pralines was a splendid partner for the slightly sweetened waffles. This isn't a rich dessert, but a satisfying one.

Euclid Hall has the type of food that you'd imagine enjoying while traveling throughout Europe; specifically in Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany - beers, brats and fries! Although, there is definitely a French influence on the menu with multiple dishes served with duck eggs and foie gras. I enjoyed every bite of my meal, and look forward to going back soon!

*photos by That Chick Té

www.chicksthattrip.com